Sewing machine presser foot



Dec. 5, 1967 R. J. POTVlN v SEWING MACHINE PRESSER FOOT Filed March (50, 1964 a kw). W yam 19a 15200222303 M03101 (IP03!) IBCL United States Patent 3,356,053 SEWING MACE PRESSER FOOT Richard J. Potvin, Brockton, Mass, assignor to R. J. Potvin Shoe Company, Inc, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Mar. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 355,535 3 Claims. (Cl. 112-235) This invention relates to sewing machines and pertains more patricularly to a presser foot construction for sewing machines. The presser foot here disclosed is particularly adapted for closing the bottom seams of a moccasin shoe of the type described in my copending application Ser. No. 355,537 filed Mar. 30, 1964 but is also useful for other purposes.

In the usual sewing machine, the presser foot is carried by a presser bar extending down from the head behind the needle bar, and attached to the foot at the rear. A moccasin shoe upper of the type described in my copending application consists of a vamp, or forepart blank attached at the sides to a quarter blank which is continuous around the heel. Both parts have bottom forming flaps which must be joined together along the entire bottom by a longitudinal seam. Another seam must be made in the forepart at the toe, to complete closing of the bottom. The forepart has a vamp portion and may also carry a tongue, which overlie the bottom parts in such a manner that it is impossible to bring the bottom portions under the needle on a conventional sewing machine, because the presser bar and elongated back portion of the presser foot interfere.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a presser bar and foot constructions which do not interfere with the upstanding walls of a partly assembled shoe upper so that parts to be joined at the bottom can be brought under the needle.

Another object is to provide a construction which may be installed in existing machines with a minimum of labor and which is also suitable for sewing flat work in the usual manner. Other objects, advantages and novel features will be apparent from the following description.

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

MG. 1 is a side elevation of the head portion of a sewing machine with a presser foot constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the sewing head; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the presser foot adapter.

The sewing head has a needle bar carrying the sewing needle 11. The mechanism for driving the needle bar is mounted in a housing 12 and is not here illustrated in detail, as such mechanisms are well known. A presser bar 13 is mounted in the housing and can be raised and lowered by a mechanism which is also well known. The needle bar extends through a slot 14 in the housing. The presser bar which, in the usual machine, also extends down through the slot, is here cut off short of the slot.

A split clamp 15 surrounds the presser bar 13 and is secured by a screw 16. The clamp has a leg 15a extending in the sidewise direction of the machine. A bracket 17 is secured to leg 15a, by welding or other suitable means, and extends forward. This bracket carries an adapter bar 18 which is aligned with the needle bar in the sideward direction of the machine. Adapter bar 18 has a vertical upper portion 18a, an intermediate portion 18b which extends obliquely toward the needle bar, and a vertical lower portion 180. A presser foot 19 is attached to the lower end of portion 18c.

The presser foot 19 has upwardly curved fork portions 190 leading to a needle opening as in the usual machine.

The foot as shown has a double opening as required for a zigzag machine but it is understood that a similar foot, with a single opening, may be used for a straight stitching machine. The rear portion 19b of the foot is made as short as possible. The adapter bar is attached to the side of the presser foot.

A partly assembled shoe upper 21, such as that described in my copending application Ser. No. 355,537, filed Mar. 30, 1964, having an upstanding Wall all around, is shown inserted under the presser foot to commence sewing the bottom searn. This presser bar adapter and foot construction makes it possible to get the forward end of the bottom forming portions of the upper under the needle for sewing the toe seam, and center bottom seam. This would not be possible with a conventional type of sewing head in which the presser bar extends all the way down and is attached to the back of the presser foot.

The upper of my copending application is used by way of illustration. The presser bar adapter and presser foot construction is useful for sewing all kinds of articles having upstanding walls which would interfere with the presser bar of a conventional machine. The adapter bar and foot are also perfectly satisfactory for sewing flat pieces, so that the machine is not confined to performing a special operation.

On new machines the adapter bar may be made part of, or secured permanently to a short presser bar. To adapt an existing machine, the presser bar is cut short and the adapter clamped on.

What is claimed is:

1. A presser foot assembly for a sewing machine having a needle bar and a forward and rear sewing direction, comprising a presser bar mounted behind said needle bar and having an extension projecting sideward and forward with an end portion extending downward and disposed to one side of and closely paralleling said needle bar, and a complete presser foot disposed under said needle bar and attached at one side to said end portion.

2. A presser foot assembly as described in claim 1, said extension including a first portion extending horizontally sideward from said needle bar, a second portion extending horizontally forward from the first portion, a third portion extending downward from the second portion, and a fourth portion disposed obliquely between said third portion and end portion.

3. A presser foot assembly for a sewing machine having a needle bar and a forward and rear sewing direction, comprising a presser bar mounted behind said needle bar, a split ring surrounding and secured to said presser bar and having a sideward extending leg, an adapter bar secured to said leg and having a first portion extending forward, a second portion extending downward from said first portion, a third portion extending obliquely downward and sideward from said second portion toward said needle bar, and a fourth portion extending downward from said third portion closely paralleling and disposed to one side of said needle bar, and a complete presser foot connected at one side to said fourth portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 542,290 7/1895 Stey 112-151 1,3 00,184 4/1919 Mittleberg 112235 1,731,622 10/1929 Gouldbourn et al 112-60 2,534,281 12/1950 Luna 112-235 2,657,655 11/1953 Margand ll2l51 2,714,361 8/1955 Bovit 112151 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A PRESSER FOOT ASSEMBLY FOR A SEWING MACHINE HAVING A NEEDLE BAR AND A FORWARD AND REAR SEWING DIRECTION, COMPRISING A PRESSER BAR MOUNTED BEHIND SAID NEEDLE BAR AND HAVING AN EXTENSION PROJECTING SIDEWARD AND FORWARD WITH AN END PORTION EXTENDING DOWNWARD AND DISPOSED TO 